thousands locked in libraries ... but not on my watch

the other day mr. higher-up-man came to my branch and was speaking to ms. manager behind closed doors. i immediately thought he was reprimanding her for being so mean to me. but it turns out that he was instead laying down some new rules.

ms. manager came up to me today and told me that from now on, i need to close up the library on evenings that i am "in charge." now, when i worked at hell's library they had a very similar policy and i wound up closing the library several times a week. no big deal. but i hardly ever close the library here. why? because they do not trust me due to my extreme incompetance. so pretty much if the manager, the senior clerk AND the community service specialist aren't here then i am in charge of closing the library (even though the community service specialist is below me). just so you know, that only leaves a lower-level clerk, two part timers, two teen pages, and the custodian. i'm sure they'd pick one of the teens over me if they could.

anyway, so ms. manager gave me a stern warning that i absolutely must make sure not to lock anyone in the library while i am in charge. really? no shit. don't trap innocent patrons in the library overnight? well, now i've heard everything. then she goes on to tell me that if i lock someone in the library i will immediately be put on probation. AND if i lock someone in the library TWICE i will immediately be fired.

how many people are being locked in libraries? is this a recurring problem? this building isn't even that big. seriously, if i lock someone in this library even once not only do i completely deserve to be fired, but i will have serious doubts about whether or not i should be allowed out in public at all.

but the plot thickens! after i assure her that i will not lock anyone in the library (more out of my own concern for other human beings than out of a fear of being fired), she walks off. then i start to wonder when exactly i am considered "in charge." so i go over and ask her and it turns out ... get this ... they have been misleading me the entire time! i am not third in command of this library! i am second in command! i am above the senior clerk! if the manager is not here then I AM IN CHARGE OF THE BUILDING! but that seemed to slip their minds. ooops, how convenient that you forgot to mention that to me. so the whole time i have been working here the senior clerk has been acting like she is my supervisor and she is in charge when in fact I AM ABOVE HER! ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! oh man, i am totally going to play this up for all it's worth.